Selling/buying of Kit

Quaker

Quaker

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Quaker
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I often wander into the "For Sale Forum" just for a nosey. I am more than happy with the kit I have apart from I would like a new 300mm lens but its something I have to save for and wont be getting until I pay myself a bonus next year.

One thing I cant help noticing is how often people buy stuff and then try to sell it on a couple of weeks/months later most often at a loss. This got me thinking, do folk buy stuff, say a lens, for a specific one off job they want to do or do they impulse buy?
 
If you buy secondhand, you should be able to sell it for what you paid, if you got it at market value. That being the case, it is easy to try kit out for next to nothing. I buy the tools I need for the job and only sell on if I no longer need that tool.
 
Quaker said:
I often wander into the "For Sale Forum" just for a nosey. I am more than happy with the kit I have apart from I would like a new 300mm lens but its something I have to save for and wont be getting until I pay myself a bonus next year.

One thing I cant help noticing is how often people buy stuff and then try to sell it on a couple of weeks/months later most often at a loss. This got me thinking, do folk buy stuff, say a lens, for a specific one off job they want to do or do they impulse buy?
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Its very possible that members do that, not something that I would do, but then again photography's a hobby for me, not a job that pays the bills, but I can see someone buying a specific lens for a wedding, wideangle example then selling after its served its use.
 
It's probably because their wives/girlfriends have found out about it and given them so much grief they're forced to sell it again :D
 
I suppose its because if I buy something, I buy it for keeps and not with the thought of selling it on in a couple of weeks time.

For someone who needs a lens for a specific shoot I suppose its a good idea.

When I first saw this going on I thought to myself, "if its as good a lens as you say it is why sell it after 2/3 weeks?" I suppose my question is now answered.
 
dont forget that there is an increasingly steep upgrade path involved also.
 
pecrow said:
dont forget that there is an increasingly steep upgrade path involved also.
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I think there is a misconception that if you are serious about photography, that means you are doomed to a path of upgrading kit and spending thousands. That is not necessarily true, especially if you are not a pro. I had fantastic results from a 30D and an EF-S 60mm/2.8 lens. The sharpest lens I've ever owned. Not expensive and I had no need to upgrade.

Of course, I did eventually but only because my shooting changed. But had I not changed my photography focus, I would be quite happy with the aforementioned kit above.
 
I think a lot of people are more interested in the gear than the pictures (and nothing wrong with that if it floats your boat). Some maybe have the misconception that a newer, better lens will make them better photographers - doesn't always work!
 
Some people think they need a certain piece of kit but once they've got it they realise the just wanted it but don't need it so they sell it on again.

Others just can't decide what they want and constantly chop and change the kit they have.

I personally have used the classifieds to upgrade my kit for as cheap as possible. The new value of my current kit on Amazon (as an example) is about £5,250 but it has cost me a shade under £3,000 for it all which is a big saving but I've done a lot of buying and selling to get there.
 
I've bought and sold a few bits on here and a lot more elsewhere - I have in the past bought a lens for a specific job only and then sold it on again afterwards. Most of the time though I'm buying gear that I think I will get good use out of and then will sell on if I find that it's not getting enough use or it doesn't suit me. I always try to test gear in a shop before buying but often I need to use a lens in the field for a decent length of time to see if it is the right one for me.
 
Sometimes I have an idea of what I want, and have taken advice from here and POTN etc, but have no way of testing it. In those cases I will tend to purchase the lens 2nd hand. If I get on with it I can keep it, if not I will not have lost much if anything, and it's certainly cheaper than hiring one in most cases.
My Tokina 11-16 for example. I wanted a UWA but realised that what I needed first was a walkabout so I sold the Tokina for what I paid and bought a 24-105.
 
Hi Mark

Similarly to awp’s answer above, fundamentally I think it is because we all like shopping. Additionally, many are looking for a quick fix answer to taking better photographs. The notion that splashing the cash on new toys will make us better photographers is very often just a handy excuse to ourselves. Some folks approach photography with the sole aim to create great images and others find that owning the gear gives them the most pleasure. Now there’s absolutely nothing wrong with either of those, or anything in between, but it’s useful to occasionally take stock of where we are at, and decide if it’s better to spend more time on the creative aspects of photography and less money on the hardware side.

Sam-D
 
Hairyduck said:
It's probably because their wives/girlfriends have found out about it and given them so much grief they're forced to sell it again :D
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No, it is because at the same time you buy an expensive bit of kit you also buy a second hand bit. Then, when you husband complains about the amount you are spending on camera equipment you can go off in huff and sell the second hand bit and keep the expensive bit that he did not know about. Thus winning both the new kit and being having something in hand to bring out at an opportune moment such as "well I sold ***** when you complained" :D
 
Sam-D said:
Hi Mark

Similarly to awp’s answer above, fundamentally I think it is because we all like shopping. Additionally, many are looking for a quick fix answer to taking better photographs. The notion that splashing the cash on new toys will make us better photographers is very often just a handy excuse to ourselves. Some folks approach photography with the sole aim to create great images and others find that owning the gear gives them the most pleasure. Now there’s absolutely nothing wrong with either of those, or anything in between, but it’s useful to occasionally take stock of where we are at, and decide if it’s better to spend more time on the creative aspects of photography and less money on the hardware side.

Sam-D
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Having read the replies I suspect its a bit of everything. I have to be honest at first I thought it was a "must have" mentality similarly based on what you say. However, I also understand the logic of buying for a single event then selling it afterwards, providing of course you get what you paid for it.

There does seem to be a lot of folk buying stuff who sell on soon after purchase and I just wondered what the logic was behind it.

Before I buy my next lens (which wont be until this time next year) I seriously need to be looking at the photo's I am taking now with the kit I have got. I am of the thought that unless I am happy with what I am taking with the kit I have got, there is not much point in upgrading.
 
I brought a specific lens off here recently, tried it didn't like the way it worked and sold it on again (not on here).
It was a Sigma 10-20mm - I was up in the Lakes and am also off to Norway early next year so I thought I'd try it on some landscapes. Although the lens was nice and sharp with nowt physically wrong with it - I found i just didn't like the wide angle stuff, or landscapes particularly:) so on it went as I know I simply just would not use it.

But generally, I buy to keep - that was just a 'buy it to try it' sort of thing.
 
I used to do some impluse buying in there, well quite alot actually lol

I did notice that I would get a lens,use it a couple of times then not use it again so would sell it on to let others make use of it

dont do it now though as I never use my kit to warrant spending more money on it
 
-Rob- said:
Some people think they need a certain piece of kit but once they've got it they realise the just wanted it but don't need it so they sell it on again.

Others just can't decide what they want and constantly chop and change the kit they have.

I personally have used the classifieds to upgrade my kit for as cheap as possible. The new value of my current kit on Amazon (as an example) is about £5,250 but it has cost me a shade under £3,000 for it all which is a big saving but I've done a lot of buying and selling to get there.
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I think mainly i fall into this catagory. i've maybe been a bit hasty in buying a few lenses , where if i spent a little more on a better lens it would save me swapping lenses all the time :bang:
 
i brought my first dslr from here used a nikon d40 with twin kit lens and saved quite a big percentage to new and managed not to loose much when i sold it on.

i've now got a sony a300 which i plan to sell and move back to nikon. i've had a part ex value on my sony kit, which will mean i will be left with a couple of lenses to sell on.

also most are enthusiast hobby type people here which look after their kit, so assured that most items will be in good condition too
 
I agree all the reasons given so far play a part but mostly I just think it's about mentality... and money.

Some people see something, want it, and want it now... then realise that actually they don't want it anymore and sell it on to get the next thing. I've noticed a lot of people of my generation (I'm 30) seem to think they are entitled to something even if they havn't really got the means to buy it - so every thing is immediate, on the credit card, and there is no saving up involved.

Some people just have enough disposable income that allows them to impulse buy - it's just not a big deal.

Other people don't have much cash and have to save hard and think very carefully about what they most need / want before splashing any cash.

Some people (like me) have a moderate amount of cash but feel they have to analyse all the options 100's of times before spending any money - especially on themselves - and then when they buy, they buy for keeps.

Some people know a bargain when they see it and can't resist - even if it's something they don't really need.

etc etc...
 
and some of us are just addicted to trading ;)

p.s. Daysleeper40, love your cat tag. So true.
 
awp said:
Some maybe have the misconception that a newer, better lens will make them better photographers - doesn't always work!
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b****r:lol:
 
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